The Million Year War
"Remember those radiation records I showed you earlier? These star charts match the location of the gamma ray sources perfectly. These journals don't just reference some localized war, my Emperor. This war was destructive beyond our imagining." '' -Gorga Manus, Head of the Alvrok Department of Xenology and History '''The Million Year War, '''also known as '''The Great Calamity' and The First War of Grox Aggression, was one of the few wars in recorded history that had a profound and long-lasting effect on the course of Galactic civilization. Fought between the Grox and Masaari empires at the dawn of large-scale evolution of sentient races in the galaxy, the war brought countless figures to the spotlight and defined the balance of power in the galaxy for eons. Background The Masaari By 3 billion years ago, the Masaari Empire had expanded across the Liskus galaxy. Every arm of the galaxy had come under the control of their navy. However, the one area they did not colonize was the Galactic Core. It is unknown why colonization efforts were not extended to the core, but the Masaari were fully aware of the empire within: The Grox. Ever since the large-scale domination of the Masaari Navy in space, Grox ships had harassed the inner borders of the empire. These attacks only increased in frequency after The Sporid Wars damaged the ability of the Navy to respond to threats in a timely manner. As the Masaari spread further up each Galactic Arm, they dedicated more resources to defensive military build-up. When a small Grox fleet attacked the Stormet system, however, they were barely prepared to respond. The Grox The Grox Empire watched the Masaari grow from a small and pitiful rump state at the base of the Uranian Wing to a Galactic Hyperpower. For most of the Masaari's growth, the Grox opted to internalize and focus on consolidation of their existing territory. This all changed upon the ascension of Emperor Miku IV to the Imperial Throne 3.5 billion years ago. Miku IV pushed for an aggressive policy that sought to tie down the Masaari Navy in border conflicts. This, at least in theory, would prevent the Masaari from expanding into the core by portraying the Grox as a large threat. Additionally, the Imperial Navy underwent a massive revision. Formerly composed of small craft with small-jump capabilities, the Navy was modernized to compete with the Masaari, and included various new classes of spaceships. Raids with smaller teams were conducted regularly. When the Masaari were weakened by The Sporid Wars, the Grox used the opportunity to press their advantage and increase the frequency of their attacks. 3 billion years ago, a strange alien arrived in Grox territory near the Galactic Core. The alien introduced himself anonymously to the Imperial Court at the Grox homeworld of Grobium, and stated that he knew of a way to secure Grox supremacy in the Galaxy. He was allowed to remain inside the empire. His attempts to create the Ring of Fate eventually devastated the planet of Mortar, and the Imperial Court built a new Imperial capital there. 1 million years later, the alien resurfaced. He told the Grox Emperor, Emperor Junzho XI, that the Masaari planned a mass offensive against his empire, and that they were staging in the Stormet system. Junzho XI sent a fleet to attack the Masaari there, unaware that the alien had lied about the Masaari's actions.Category:Wars Category:History